The defender said he had not intended to cause any offence with his 'insensitive decision'

Apology: Chris Smalling has admitted he was wrong to wear the fancy dress outfit (Photo: PA)

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England footballer Chris Smalling has apologised for his "insensitive" decision to go to a fancy dress party dressed as a suicide bomber.

The Manchester United defender went to the festive gathering in a "Jagerbomber" costume - attempting to make an pun on the "Jagerbomb" drink by strapping bottles of Jagermeister and Red Bull to his body.

He was pictured wearing what appeared to be an army-style vest with the alcohol bottles and a mock circuit board with cables attached, as well as an Arab kaffiyeh head dress.

But the offensive get-up prompted an angry reaction, with those outraged including Graham Foulkes, whose son David died in the London 7/7 suicide bombings.

Mr Foulkes, 61, from Oldham, told The Sun the costume was "one of the most offensive things I have seen".

In a statement, Wasserman Media Group said: "Chris and his girlfriend hosted a fancy dress party to celebrate Christmas and their belated birthdays with close friends in the assumed privacy of his own home.

"He dressed in a costume consisting of empty bottles of Jagermeister and cans of Red Bull strapped to his chest in an attempted comedy play on the popular 'Jagerbomb' drink.

"Although he fully accepts in hindsight it was an ill-thought out and insensitive decision, absolutely no harm was intended whatsoever and he apologises for any offence caused."